New Reflected Image Quality (RIQ) To Evaluate High Quality Finishes
In coating, orange peel has a huge impact on high quality finishes. This undesirable effect reduces appearance quality and is caused by poorly applied coating or incorrect formulation. Though the orange peel effect is visible to human eye, visual evaluation is tedious and subjective.
To measure orange peel objectively and consistently, measurement parameters such as Distinctness of Image (DOI) and Reflected Image Quality (RIQ) would be needed. Both DOI and RIQ are parameters that measure how clearly a reflected image will appear in a surface. A perfectly smooth surface which reflects an image without any distortion has a DOI/RIQ value of 100.
In the automotive industry, coating technology has reached a level where DOI data is insufficient to evaluate orange peel.
As the amounts of orange peel lessen, highly reflective surfaces are gradually showing marginal difference between their DOI values that is not in proportion to their visual difference.
To achieve a more proportionate result, RIQ can be used as this measurement parameter provides a much higher resolution results that correlate well with human perception.
Instruments like Rhopoint IQ and IQ Flex are able to measure critical appearance measurement parameters like DOI and RIQ that can help manufacturers quantify coating related effect such as orange peel objectively.
To find out more on high quality finishes evaluation, write or contact us at 6563 5533 for a free consultation.